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CONTACT:

NFL-181                12/19/03

Brendan Moynihan (212) 450-2246
MoynihanB@nfl.com

NFL TUESDAYS: PLAYERS IN THE COMMUNITY ON THEIR DAY OFF

NFL PLAYERS CONTINUE TO SPREAD HOLIDAY CHEER BY VISITING HOSPITALS, HOSTING PARTIES AND HELPING CHILDREN WITH HOLIDAY SHOPPING

This Tuesday, the CHICAGO BEARS will treat 100 children from the Chicago Housing Authority to a shopping spree and the Bears game against the Washington Redskins thanks to a donation from offensive line coach Bob Wylie, members of the Bears offensive line, and Bears Care, the team's charitable foundation.

The TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS will bring holiday spirit to the patients at All Children’s Hospital.  With Buccaneers players visiting the children’s rooms to distribute posters, take photos and sign autographs.

The JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS will sign autographs and hand out t-shirts to support the Florida/Georgia Blood Alliance Gift of Life Blood Drive. 

These are just a few of the many community service activities taking place as part of "NFL Tuesdays."

Tuesday is the traditional day off for NFL players during the season. It is the day players escape the rigors of pro football and get reacquainted with rest and relaxation. But many players also use their day off to "go to work" in their communities.

The NFL highlights these day-off community endeavors with a program entitled "NFL Tuesdays." The program is designed to raise awareness, both locally and nationally, about the day-off charitable work of NFL players and coaches.

"For years, NFL players and coaches have been working extensively in their communities on their day off," says NFL Commissioner PAUL TAGLIABUE. "While many of us use our two-day weekend to relax, countless NFL players and coaches use their one day off during the season to give back to their communities. It’s time players received more credit for that."

Some other "NFL Tuesday" activities this week:

Team

Player(s) Scheduled To Appear

Brief Description of Activity

Arizona Cardinals

QB Jeff Blake

Blake will spend the afternoon with the patients at Phoenix Indian Medical Center and during his visit he will deliver Teddy Bears to children.

Arizona Cardinals

Luis Zendejas, Director of Community Relations

Cardinals players along with Luis Zendejas, Director of Community Relations, will deliver toys collected during the Cardinals toy drive with local radio station KDKB to St. Vincent de Paul.

Arizona Cardinals

Luis Zendejas, Director of Community Relations

As part of the Salvation Army Adopt a family program, Cardinals players along with Luis Zendejas, Director of Community Relations will make a Christmas delivery of gathered presents to two adopted families. This will mark the second year that the Cardinals have teamed up with the Salvation Army in their Adopt a Family program.

Baltimore Ravens

RB Jamal Lewis; QB Chris Redman; FB Alan Ricard

ESPN Zone Baltimore will host the 6th Annual ESPN Zone Baltimore Ravens Holiday Party to benefit the Baltimore City Police Athletic League (PAL). Lewis, Redman, Ricard and several other members of the Baltimore Ravens will be in attendance to help distribute new, wrapped gifts to 150 members of PAL. More than 20 members of the Ravens will help distribute the gifts and spread holiday cheer to the children. Ravens players will also be signing autographs, taking photos and playing games.

Baltimore Ravens

G Bennie Anderson

Anderson, The Rognel Heights Cultural Center and Movements Unlimited Performing Arts Company Inc. will host the 5th Annual Movements Unlimited Kwanzaa. This unique partnership brings to the Baltimore community an event designed to celebrate and reinforce the seven principles of Kwanzaa. The youth that attend are challenged to stay away from drugs, violence and crime. In addition the youth must make a commitment to obtaining an education and adopting an Elder from the community!

Chicago Bears

T Marc Colombo; G Steve Edwards; T Mike Gandy; T Aaron Gibson; C Olin Kreutz; G Corbin Lacina; C Patrick Mannelly; G Terrence Metcalf; G Qasim Mitchell; G Rex Tucker; G Chris Villarrial; C Josh Warner; Coach Bob Wylie

For the fifth consecutive year, 100 children from the Chicago Housing Authority will be treated to a shopping spree and Bears game thanks to a donation from Coach Bob Wylie, members of the Bears offensive line, and Bears Care, the team's charitable foundation. Each child will receive a $255 gift certificate to Toys 'R Us. Children will be required to purchase two books with their certificates in an effort to encourage the importance of reading in their lives. Following the shopping spree, the kids will be transported in luxury busses to Soldier Field where the Bears will host a party during its game against the Redskins (Dec. 21). The children will also walk on the playing field during pre-game warm-ups and receive a visit by inactive members of the offensive line, as well as the Bears mascot, Staley.

Green Bay Packers

G Grey Ruegamer

Ruegamer will go to Elmore Elementary School to read to children and discuss productivity, attitude, kindness and respect. The children have an opportunity to get tickets to a game, compliments of Grey, if they write a book report and are lucky enough to have their name pulled out of a helmet.

Green Bay Packers

RB Tony Fisher

Fisher will be signing autographs in exchange for donations to the Salvation Army at Shopko West.

Indianapolis Colts

Owner Jim Irsay

Colts Owner and CEO Jim Irsay will be joined by Colts players, cheerleaders and staff as they visit patients and their families at Methodist Children's Hospital. The Colts will deliver gifts to the children and sing Christmas Carols.

Indianapolis Colts

DE Dwight Freeney

Freeney will play "secret Santa" to local Police Athletic League children and will partake in a shopping spree at a local store.

Indianapolis Colts

CB David Macklin

Macklin will visit the Julian Center, a local battered women's shelter, and deliver gifts he purchased for the residents.

Jacksonville Jaguars

C Joe Zelenka

Zelenka was selected as the Jaguars/Morgan Stanley Community Leader of the Year during a luncheon at ALLTEL Stadium. Morgan Stanley presented a check in the amount of $3,000 to the University of Florida Foundation on Zelenka's behalf.

Jacksonville Jaguars

S Anthony Mitchell; C Brett Romberg; DB Chris Brown; RB Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala; WR Cortez Hankton; S Deke Cooper; LB Deon Humphrey; S Donovin Darius; CB Kiwaukee Thomas; FB Marc Edwards; T Maurice Williams; QB Quinn Gray; T Sammy Williams; G Vincent Manuwai

Jaguars players will sign autographs and hand out t-shirts to support the Florida/Georgia Blood Alliance Gift of Life Blood Drive.

Jacksonville Jaguars

QB Byron Leftwich

Leftwich will visit the Mali Vai Washington Kids Foundation and the Bridge of Northeast Florida to delivered free Reebok shoes to underprivileged children.

Minnesota Vikings

C Cory Withrow; T Adam Goldberg; C Brody Liddiard; G Chris Liwienski; T Everett Lindsay; G Lewis Kelly; C Matt Birk; T Mike Rosenthal; G David Dixon

Withrow, along with teammates Birk, Rosenthal, Lindsay, Liddiard, Goldberg, Kelly, Liwienski and Dixon, are scheduled to visit Fairview-University Children's Hospital.

Minnesota Vikings

S Jack Brewer; DE Chuck Wiley; LB Nick Rogers

Brewer, Wiley and Rogers are scheduled to visit the Shriners Hospital.

St. Louis Rams

S Jason Sehorn

Sehorn will take kids from South Side Day Nursery to Toys 'R Us to shop for holiday gifts as part of Sehorn's Christmas Wishes Program. Each child will be given $150 to shop for themselves, family members or friends with the help of Jason and fellow St. Louis Rams.

St. Louis Rams

DE Leonard Little

Little will visit the Youth Technology and Education Center (YTEC) to surprise the children with holiday gifts he has purchased for each of them.

St. Louis Rams

WR Mike Furrey

As part of the Rams Reader Team, Furrey will visit Boonslick State School to read the students a holiday book and stress the importance of education and reading. The Rams Reader Team, a program that targets kids from kindergarten to high school, encourages young readers to visit their local library, sign up to be Rams Reader Team members, and choose a book from the reading list created from suggestions from the St. Louis Rams players, cheerleaders, head coach and owner.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

LB Derrick Brooks

Brooks will distribute holiday gifts to members of the Wilbert Davis, Brandon and Ybor City Boys and Girls Clubs during his annual Christmas party at Game Works. At the party, Brooks will distribute 60 gifts to the children that were selected to attend by the Boys & Girls Club employees as the clubs most needy members.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

WR Keenan McCardell

McCardell will provide 20 lucky kids with a Christmas treat they will not soon forget. The kids, who were selected by the Hillsborough Department of Health and Social Services, will each receive a $500 shopping spree from McCardell to use as they please at Toys ‘R Us.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

T Anthony Davis; C Austin King; QB Chris Simms; DE Dewayne White; WR Fabian Davis; DB Ronyell Whitaker; LB Ryan Nece; G Sean Mahan; S Travaris Robinson; TE Will Heller; FB Mike Alstott

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rookie Club, along with veteran leaders Alstott and Nece will bring holiday spirit to the patients at All Children’s Hospital. At the event, the Buccaneers players will visit the children’s rooms to distribute posters, take Polaroid photos and sign autographs.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

C Austin King; T Anthony Davis; QB Chris Simms; DE Dewayne White; WR Fabian Davis; DB Ronyell Whitaker; LB Ryan Nece; G Sean Mahan; S Travaris Robinson; TE Will Heller

Following their visit to All Children’s Hospital, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rookie Club and Nece will visit the patients at North Shore Retirement Home. At the center, the Buccaneers players will sing holiday tunes and pass out posters to help the patients get into the holiday spirit.